A full bench of South Africa's Constitutional Court
ruled July 25 that gay couples must receive the same
workplace benefits as married couples.

The ruling, which came in a case filed by a lesbian
judge whose partner was denied spousal benefits, cited
the nation's Constitution, which bans all
discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Another lawsuit is pending that activists predict will
open up ordinary marriage to South African same-sex
couples.

The only country where gay couples can marry under the
exact same laws as opposite-sex couples is The
Netherlands, though several nations, mostly in Western
Europe, have gay-partnership laws that grant
registered same-sex couples up to 99 percent of the
rights and obligations of marriage.

Canadian Ministry Appeals Marriage Ruling

Canada's Justice Ministry will appeal the Ontario
Superior Court ruling that the federal ban on same-sex
marriage violates the nation's Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.

"There is no consensus, either from the courts or
among Canadians, on whether or how the laws require
change," said Justice Minister Martin Cauchon. "The
government believes it is the responsible course to
seek further clarity on these issues."

The July 12 ruling came in the case of two couples who
were married at the gay Metropolitan Community Church
via the process of reading banns -- asking in church
on three Sundays if anyone objects to the marriage,
which is a legal way to marry in Ontario. They were
given ordinary marriage certificates by MCC pastor
Brent Hawkes but provincial officials later refused to
register the documents.

The court's ruling will become law on July 12, 2004,
if the federal Parliament has not legalized same-sex
marriage by then.

The only country where same-sex couples can marry
under the exact same laws as opposite-sex couples is
The Netherlands, though numerous nations, mostly in
Western Europe, have gay-partnership laws that grant
registered same-sex couples up to 99 percent of the
rights and obligations of marriage.